December 12, 2011

LaFree comments on terrorist imprisonment

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – (Dec. 12, 2011) – United States Federal Prisons are housing a large portion of convicted terrorists and extremists, says reporter Scott Shane in his article, “Beyond Guantánamo, a Web of Prisons for Terrorism Inmates,” featured in Sunday’s New York Times. For the article, Shane turned to START Director Gary LaFree for his analysis of the use of federal prisons and its prisoners.

Among one of prisons studied is ADX Florence, Colorado’s prison for men. The supermax houses names such as Shoe Bomber Richard Reid, Oklahoma City Bomber Terry Nichols and “Millennium Bomber” Ahmed Ressam. “Terrorists who plotted to massacre Americans are likely to die in prison,” says Shane.

In a recent congressional debate, experts point out the surge of imprisoned terrorists in federal prisons. “There’s a huge national debate about how dangerous these people are,” says LaFree. LaFree was a lead contributor on a 2009 proposal to interview imprisoned terrorists. The Department of Homeland Security approved the proposal, but the Bureau of Prisons did not allow it.

Experts are still analyzing if the imprisonment of terrorists in federal prisons are effective.

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